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This book deals with one of the major problems faced by today’s
church: how can the church (and parents) help children cultivate a
biblical worldview? In the simplest terms, cultivating a biblical
worldview means learning to think and act like Jesus. But how can the
church, that is, its members (including parents), teach children
something their own parents didn’t know how to teach them?
Barna emphasizes that the time has come to wage a spiritual war—time
to equip parents to help their children become the spiritually mature
Church of tomorrow, literally transforming them into spiritual
champions!
1. The state of American children. In this first chapter, Barna uses four
dimensions to describe the state and well-being of the American
children, namely, intellectual, health / physical, economic, and
emotional / behavioural.
2. The spiritual health of our children. This chapter deals with the
following questions: Are all our decisions spiritually based? Do our
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children really understand spiritual truths? What has the church have to
do with it? Are we missing the mark?
3. Why kids matter. Here, Barna motivates why children matter. They
matter, because: Children matter to God; Children matter to you and
me; Children matter on the battlefront.
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Many people who trust Jesus as their Saviour do so before the age
of 15. Driven by this reality, George Barna invites us to the greatest
harvest filed of all time – children. In Transforming Children into
Spiritual Champions, he boldly and faithfully calls on churches to
seize the opportunity to impact their communities – starting with
the children (Jack D. Eggar29).
29
President and CEO, Awana Clubs International.
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Barna is known for writing books based on superb research, and this
book is no exception. Drawing from several national studies conducted
among children, as well as others conducted among families and church
pastors, this book challenges Christians to re-think their own
assumptions and behaviour regarding the importance of ministry to
children. Not only does the book give useful insights into the question,
why focusing on substantive ministry to children is so critical, but it
also offers some eye-opening information in the same, and provides
30
Evangelist; author, The seduction of our children.
31
President, Youthbuilders.
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4.2. The claim that children’s ministry should be the primary focus
of the Church
The sub-title of the book is what the book is essentially about, namely,
why children should be your church's # 1 priority. Although the
sentiment that the churches should make ministry to children one of the
primary focal points is something worth articulating, it is rather over
emphasised by Barna. To suggest that children's ministries should be
elevated above all others seems rather dramatic, a suggestion that is
simply not well vindicated in the book.
5. Conclusion
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vision for success, are inspiring, providing great direction for children's
ministry in churches.
Reference List
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